St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-11

KEoJ G(N uglineSS of the
There are b0undleSs possibilities in
their exchange of circumstance. Each
may become an odalisque, the mother OF
princes. even a Sultana. For, by the
strange code of the MOslem. the sultan
must marry a slave, one who has been
bought and sOld and the lowest on
whom he casts a passing look has hope
of such high destiny.
The Turk can have four lawful wives,
though few have more than one. We
copy Father Jacob, they plead, and if
you h Mt at forbidden numbers, we are
like Solomon. the wise, and Jacob, his
father.
No Oriental woman makes secret her
wish to marry any more than the widow
of Moab i'll the barley fields among the
cleaners at Bethlehem, and her prayer
is yet the prayer Of sItachael-Giye me
children. else l die.
With this underhCkr of feeling. eau
casian women willingly leave their
wretehed homes and, when ships touch
at the coasts, come to the travellers and
implore them TO carry them away as
servants. They have seen their broth
ers handsome and fearless as leOpards
marched off to service in foreign
armies. Their costume of Persian en-
broiderieS, belted with Silken girdleS
their sharp ScimetarS, enameled with
gold, dazzle the sight. The women long
TO follow and tempt fate in the city
which they have heard lies like a bird
afloat On the waters of the Golden Horn.
Those young girls have little tender
ness to remember. In one garment
they have herded sheep and carried
water Jars on bruised shoulders in the
fierce sun heat of the summer: and
rolled in skins, Oh the mud floor of q
smoky den, they have Shiyered i'll the
biting winds blowing across glaciers
which never melt.
They do not sigh for freedom; they
have had freedom in their own native
hills: they want to thrust their bare feet
into velvet slippers spangled with gold,
and lOll on soft diVanS in rooms lined
with bright marbles.
The trade is carried on by Jews and is
necessary part of polygamy. The
slaves enter better conditions than they
leave, are usually kindly treated and by
law are free at the end of seven years.
The whole system is patriarehai, and
was ancient before the coming of the
Father of the Faithful.
Contracts Tor marriage are Oftenest
made by the mother of the bride, who
sometimes does not see her fiance till
she is rObed for the ceremony; and old
maids are unknown in the empire
where maids are manageable at six
teen or younger.
Wedding festivities sometimes last a
whole wedk. The men, in their rooms,
smoke sOlemnly and sip coffee; ''laugh-
ter" says their proyerb, lis for women
and children" And merrily laughter
ri, fi1n 10
fore the apartments of the women.
Their gaiety overfiows in jests and play
full tricks, trivial and meaningless to us,
but delightful to them. Charms are
practiced, fortunes fOretOld and dreams,
in which they have childlike faith, are
related. Sometimes marriage is de-
layed on account of bad omen or I'M
lucky dream.
The presents of the wealthy are jew
els, furS, and embrOideries, ShaWlS from
the goats of Thibet, silks of Indian dyes,
rich as coronation robes. ScarfS of Mecca
woven of pure, white silk shot with
silver. The larger garments are strung
on cords stretched against the walls Of
the bridal chamber. A wreath of artifi-
cial flowers borders its ceiling and the
draperies below make vari-colored
lining. gay as the Shawl-lined tent of
Haroun-Al-Raschild. All is arranged
with the unerring eye for color which
distinguishes the Oriental, and the work
goes on with intervals of feaSting. eat
ing sugar plumS, and wild fantastic
music, at once harsh and SOrrOwful.
The bride is radiant in white or rose
pink wrought with gold: her nails and
finger tips are dyed with henna, and an
amulet of carnelian, inscribed with a
verse from the Koran, is hung round
her neck-a defense against the evil eye.
When the hour comes for the be-
trOthed strangers to see each other face
to face for the first time her best friend
kisses the bride between the eyebrows,
removes her veil and spreads it on the
floor The bridegroom kneels upon it
and offers the touching prayer appoint
eG by Lord MOhammed, regarded as the
most acceptable that can be addressed
to the Deity on this occasion.
IN THE HAREM.
The word harem means the holy or
Sanctified. and in general sense Is given
to any spot peculiarly hallowed. l was
long while learning that the
name applies to the spacious
enclosed court about mosques !:
not a barred prison, but cOnse-
Grated ground. revered as sanctuary.
However blank and bare the remainder
of the house may be-and usually is
the forbidden rooms ar well furnished
according to Moslem fancy, in which is
copied, as far as possible, their ideal
paradise: an adorable palace with a
thousand windows, and before every
window sparkling fountain.
Free light, abundant space, shady
gardens. where the nightingale sings
among the roses, and rushing waters
cool the air. These are the luXuries
which forShadow the golden pleasure
fields kept for the faithful by the
Hours.
The women. old and young, assemble
in the sacred rooms with their children
and attendants, and they are the center
of the world to the housekeeping Turk,
who cares nothing for travel and never
emigrateS. His spare time and money
are spent there, and the wife IS in the
tender Arabian phrase the keeper OF her
husbands soul.
Tuskish houses ale much alike. The
entrance is through double door large
enough for horses and carriage. Beyond
it is a swing screen suspended like a
gate, and hides the vestibule, or court,
when the street door opens. Two out
side StaircaseS appear. one leading TO
the mems apartments, the other to the
wOmen's. At the first landing the Wis
itor finds the black aga on guard before
the door, to which only one man is adj
mitted. and which is forbidden to the
sight and thought of all men save that
one.
There is no special place to eat or
sleep in. A low divan running round
the wall of each room is made bed by
night. the clothes being kept In presses
by day. In imperial palaces the cover,
lets are of Lahore stuffs embroidered
with colOred silks interviewer with